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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089151">Shielded from the Cold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/YukippeTodo/pseuds/YukippeTodo'>YukippeTodo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>STZ Week 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Bullying, Drowning, Gen, Homophobia, Sagae and Tendo are in it for like one sentence, Winter, falling through the ice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:54:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/YukippeTodo/pseuds/YukippeTodo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Goshiki gets bullied. One day, they take it too far.</p><p> </p><p>Day 6: Jacket</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>STZ Week 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shielded from the Cold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>TW: Bullying, Homophobia, Drowning</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You stupid volleyball nerd!”</p><p>“I think he’s gay!”</p><p>“Oh, who’s your boyfriend? Ushijima-san? He’ll never notice a weakling like you.”</p><p>“Eww, how disgusting.”</p><p>“Where does he even get that confidence?”</p><p>“He’s so stupid, I'm surprised they haven't kicked him out yet.”</p><p>Goshiki hunches his shoulders as his classmates go about their daily ritual of tormenting him before the teacher shows up. He doesn't dare try to talk back. The last time he did, he got a mouthful of chalk dust.</p><p>Class goes by too slow for his liking, and it doesn't help that the kid behind him is launching spit balls at the back of his head. He can’t focus at all. He feels negative thoughts clouding his head and forces himself to take a deep breath.</p><p>But they just keep coming. He’s so distracted by them that his teacher has to call his name three times so he can answer a question.</p><p>Everyone laughs. Goshiki hides behind his notebook as embarrassment creeps up his face. </p><p>Lunch isn't much better, but at least he has the club. Sagae tries to cheer him up by talking about a new game he saw, and Tendo cracks a few jokes that make him laugh.</p><p>“Oi, Goshiki,” Goshiki turns his head to see three of his classmates standing there. “Teach wants us to finish the group project.”</p><p>Goshiki considers telling his senpai that there is no group project, only pain. “I’ll be back in fifteen minutes,” he tells them instead, before getting up and following them out of the cafeteria.</p><p>“So, who’s the boyfriend?”</p><p>Goshiki sighs. “We talked about this! I don't have a boyfriend!”</p><p>Suzuki shakes his head. “We all know that’s a lie.” Mikazuki chuckles next to him. “It might be that guy with the undercut that he’s been ogling.”</p><p>“Nah, I'm pretty sure it's the weird redhead,” Hoshizawa says.</p><p>Goshiki considers going back into the lunch room, and takes a step towards the doors before Suzuki grabs his arm. “And where do you think you’re going?”</p><p>“I need to eat,” Goshiki says.</p><p>“No you don't. We have a little game for you,” Hoshizawa smirks. “Come here.”</p><p>The three lead Goshiki out to the stables. Goshiki tenses up immediately, expecting horse turds to come flying at him.</p><p>“We should take him down to the lake.”</p><p>What?</p><p>“That’s a good idea!”</p><p>Why the lake? </p><p>“Give him a dunk and call it conversion therapy.”</p><p>No.</p><p>“I think the cold will bring him to his senses.”</p><p>No.</p><p>“We could just leave him and make it seem like an accident. No one will ever know.”</p><p>No no no nO NO they aren’t serious!</p><p>Goshiki screams as they grip him tightly and drag him through the woods to the edge of the school grounds. As much as he kicks about, he’s powerless against three boys, especially when two of them can and have beaten him up many times before.</p><p>The lake isn't even on school property, it belongs to a nature reserve right behind it. If they get caught outside of school not only would they all get detention (regardless of position) but they would also be removed from any clubs they are in.</p><p>He can't lose volleyball. He’s here on a sports scholarship, what good would it be if he is banned from the only reason he is present?</p><p>Goshiki continues to struggle, screaming until his throat is raw. His clothing catches on branches, and his face is scratched up. Suzuki, Mikazuki, and Hoshizawa make no move to muffle his screams as they reach the lake. Mikazuki disappears into the woods and returns with a rock as Goshiki is thrown down onto the ice.</p><p>“Please stop…” he croaks as the rock is thrown and the ice breaks about three feet in front of him. Rough hands grab his arms and drag him to the hole, and while it's only small enough to fit his arm at first, the ice cracks when they let go.</p><p>Goshiki falls through the ice with a shrill shriek. All the air leaves his lungs as he hits the freezing water, and the cold prickles at his skin. It takes precious seconds for him to figure out which way is up and where the hole is, and then to judge how deep he fell.</p><p>The odds of him getting out weren't looking very good.</p><p>His lungs burn as he starts the long swim up, and spots start dancing across his vision as he forces his body to keep moving. If he had gotten a full breath, he might have made it but his instincts give in and he sucks in a lungful of the icy cold water. It stings his insides and it's getting harder and harder to move anywhere but down. Just as he’s about to black out, something wraps around his arm tightly and he’s pulled upward.</p><p>The next few moments are a blur for the first year, who is dragged across the ice coughing up water and gasping pathetically as he expels the liquid out of his lungs. His blazer is removed and someone puts a jacket on over him.</p><p>By the time Goshiki has regained his breath, he’s sitting in the snow with a puffy jacket on. He looks around frantically until his eyes land on a certain second year setter.</p><p>“Shira-”</p><p>“Good, you can talk. Let’s go back.” Shirabu pulls him to his feet. Goshiki blinks. “What were you doing out here? I thought you had a group project.”</p><p>Oh. All his senpai still thought he was working with the others in his classroom. “I-I can explain…”</p><p>Shirabu grabs his arm, though it’s gentler than his usual touches. “Goshiki, what happened to you?” Goshiki looks away. Shirabu sighs before biting his lip. “Okay, let's go.”</p><p>The two trudge through the snow and back onto school grounds. Goshiki is shivering violently by the time they get back to the school building, stumbling over his own feet. He doesn't hear Shirabu call out for Ushijima and Yamagata as they walk by, nor does he register it when Ushijima scoops him up like he weighs nothing.</p><p>The scene keeps replaying in Goshiki’s head. The three boys shoving him into the hole in the ice. The feeling of drowning as he sank, the fear of imminent death, and-</p><p>“Goshiki!” Shirabu is shouting when Goshiki blinks and is reoriented with reality. His fingers are tightly gripping the jacket and one of his legs is outstretched awkwardly.</p><p>Goshiki can only open his mouth before he starts sobbing. Shirabu takes a step back in surprise as Yamagata rubs the youngest boy’s back. “Hey, Goshiki? We’re going to take you back to the dorms, alright?”</p><p>“But what about class?” Goshiki whimpers.</p><p>“Goshiki, you’re crying and you’re zoning out, I don't think being present in class will be that different from not going today,” Shirabu says. “Besides, the nurse says you have mild hypothermia and that you should probably rest.”</p><p>Goshiki opens his mouth to protest but Ushijima and Yamagata nod in agreement. Goshiki sighs in defeat. “Alright… “</p><p>“Hey Goshiki,” Yamagata kneels down next to him. “You can tell us if anything is going on.”</p><p>Goshiki hesitates before nodding. “Shirabu-san, do you want your jacket back?”</p><p>“Keep it for today,” Shirabu says. “I'll come get it tomorrow morning. By the way, your blazer is in the wash.”</p><p>Goshiki nods. Ushijima stands up to guide Goshiki to his room, and the four boys leave the nurse's office together. Yamagata and Shirabu separate from them once they reach the staircase, </p><p>“Goshiki,” Ushijima says quietly as they reach the first year dorms. “Are you alright? You look shaken up.”</p><p>Goshiki shakes his head as he opens the door to his room. “It’s just that… no one likes me.”</p><p>“Goshiki, that is a lie. We like you.”</p><p>“You can say that to Suzuki. He wanted to kill me because he hated me so much,” Goshiki mutters before clapping a hand over his mouth. “Shit… please don't tell anyone… they’ll actually kill me.”</p><p>Ushijima closes the door behind them. “I can't promise you anything, Goshiki.” He sits the first year down on his bed and wraps a blanket around him before sitting down on the floor. </p><p>“Ushijima-san, don’t you have to get to class?” Goshiki questions.</p><p>“You seem to be in more need of me than my calculus class,” Ushijima replies in a near deadpan. “Goshiki, please don't keep these things from us. We are a team.”</p><p>Goshiki starts to protest but Ushijima sits down next to him, and pulls him and his blanket-wrapped body close to him. Goshiki gives up and leans against his senpai. “Ushijima-san?”</p><p>“Yes Goshiki?”</p><p>“Why did Shirabu come looking for me?”</p><p>Ushijima frowns. “He went looking for you because you hadn't come back. Nearly beat up the blonde kid for your location.”</p><p>Goshiki can't help but crack a small smile at the thought of Mikazuki getting punched by Shirabu. He makes a mental note to thank the second year later, when he isn't loopy or inside his headspace. </p><p>The bell rings, signaling a change in periods but Ushijima does not move off the bed. Goshiki, while surprised, is thankful for the older boy’s company as he finally starts to warm up. Goshiki exhales softly as he sinks into the niche created by Ushijima’s arm, feeling a bit drowsy.</p><p>“Thank you,” he murmurs as he drifts off into a peaceful sleep.</p>
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